Phil Heatley MP
National Party Housing Spokesman

29 March 2007

Housing inquiry terms welcomed

National Party Housing spokesman Phil Heatley has welcomed the terms of reference set today for the select committee inquiry into housing affordability and building costs.

"As recently as the past few days we have seen evidence of how difficult it has become for Kiwis on an average income to be able to afford their own homes. Parliament needs to take this issue very seriously."

Mr Heatley secured a Commerce Select Committee inquiry despite Helen Clark saying there was no need and that Labour has housing costs under control.

"Labour can't continue to put its head in the sand on this stuff, and I'm delighted with the broad terms of reference set by the select committee today."

The terms of reference cover things such as:

* The effect of limited land supply on the price of land.
* The inflated cost of building materials compared to other similar nations.
* And the impact of regulatory roadblocks and levies on the total cost of building.

"There is no silver bullet for the high price of properties, but I believe there are a number of areas where the Government could make life easier for struggling families chasing the Kiwi dream to own their own home.

"The goal is to nail down the underlying causes of the skyrocketing prices of recent years and finger which ones can be brought under control."

ENDS

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